Haven’t heard of Gangsta Babies yet? Mezco Toys is releasing their Gangsta Babies Series of “dolls” in October of this year, just in time for Christmas shoppers to get their gangsta on. The Gangsta Babies Series is described as “comin straight outta crib-town” and supposedly “keepin it real” and will set gangsta baby obsessed shoppers a mere $112.
Each of these 10-inch ghettofied hooligans is loaded with so much bling-bling for babies “that other rug rats can only catch their vapors” as they head out in their gangsta strollers to do drive-bys, or maybe that should say “gangsta stroller-bys”.
The Gangsta Babies Series contains:
Pookie: The green-eyed baller. But dont make him cranky… ya wouldnt like him when he’s cranky. Featuring a thermal shirt, t-shirt, dew rag, ring, and pimped out pacifier necklace.
Benjino: This carrot topped homey is holding the fort down. Featuring a red bubble vest, football jersey, jeans, cassette shaped ring and old school boom box necklace.
Rey Rey: From around the way way, a playa who is #1 with all the shorties. Features a hoodie, skullcap, camo jacket and shorts. He represents with his “GB” dog tags.
Big Deuce: Everyone knows this lil’ shot caller is runnin things. Features a baseball hat, shirt, cuffed jeans, and white do rag, diamond ring, gold rope bracelet, and crown pendant.
Gangsta Babies?! Barf!!! If you would like to let Mezco Toys know how you really feel about their “gangsta babies”, contact Mezco and be sure to tell ‘em Lin from Telling It Like It Is sent ya! There are also Gangsta Rap Coloring Books by Aye Jay’s being sold on Amazon.com for gangsta rap enthusiasts.
Popularity: 12% [?]
17 responses so far ↓
1 Rob O. (29 comments.) // Sep 8, 2008 at 2:24 pm
Thanks for posting this, Lin!
It’s just despicable that society validates & glorifies the horrid behaviors that fall under the “gangsta” umbrella, ranging anywhere from explicit and demeaning attitudes towards women to, well, murderous gunplay. It sickens me that thugs like Snoopy Dogg & 50 Cent are made out to be heroes.
You can see the effects of this trickling down to very young children in the thug-like attitudes and attire cues taken from notable Hip-Hop a& Rap figures. Just take note of the number of urban children with diamond-like ear studs and other gangsta bling. This is a very real cultural issue that needs to be addressed!
2 Lin (1019 comments.) // Sep 8, 2008 at 3:38 pm
Rob, thank you for heads up on these gangsta babies. I think this is awful, but I wouldn’t be too surprised to find parents being willing to buy this stuff for their kids, thinking it’s “cute” and “just for fun”.
It’s alarming to consider the large number of people including parents who are oblivious to the fashion trends and how it affects young children, and now we have “dolls” dressed as thugs? While these gangsta babies wouldn’t fall into the category of the “sexualization of children” that I’ve written about recently, fashion trends and toys such as these dolls should really make parents think seriously about what is going on in society.
3 Rob O. (29 comments.) // Sep 8, 2008 at 6:57 pm
True, these don’t directly fall into the category of “sexualization of children,” but the Hip-Hop “gangsta” culture certainly feeds into a set of attitudes that are sexually-charged and degrading towards women. Maybe I’m making a mountain out of molehill, but I feel like if we condone and support the gangsta culture, we’re saying it’s okay to embody the “I’d hit that on a booty call” kind of crap.
4 Lin (1019 comments.) // Sep 8, 2008 at 8:26 pm
I don’t think you’re making a mountain out of a molehill at all Rob. I agree 100% that these gangsta babies and the gangsta culture is something that is highly disrespectful of women, and it’s scary what the effects of such things will be on young girls and boys alike. The world has gone nuts.
5 moneyblogga (4 comments.) // Sep 9, 2008 at 9:19 am
Dumb people will buy these exploitative dolls and then wonder why their kid is selling dope on the corner 5 years hence. Yet another example of the glamorization of a lowlife “lifestyle”. Lifestyles of the welfared and infamous. It’s sickening to see where this country is headed thanks to (a) the (not so almighty) greenback and (b) an army of stupid people.
6 Dan // Sep 9, 2008 at 3:16 pm
i think these are awesome. I don’t think these are really meant for young kids, and you’d be pretty dumb / paranoid / inflammatory to think so. Really, they’re just toys. Under most of the rationalizations i’m seeing posted on this comment board, wouldn’t buying crap like Barbie Dolls and GI Joes further influence children to be sluts and war-hungry murderers? To sum them up, they glamorize the very things you claim these Gangsta Babies to be doing.
7 Lin (1019 comments.) // Sep 9, 2008 at 7:05 pm
There have been quite a few attempts to “comment” on this but due to the language used and the personal attacks towards me and everyone else who has commented thus far, those “comments” will not be approved.
I have no problem with differing viewpoints, but vicious attacks will not be tolerated.
8 Simon Slade (4 comments.) // Sep 9, 2008 at 8:55 pm
I don’t see what the big deal is about. It is just another craze that people will not be able to remember this time next year. To be honest, Benjino is rather cute. I don’t see him as threatening. He’s only a doll!
9 Wayne (1 comments.) // Sep 9, 2008 at 11:27 pm
Bwahahaha, what a joke. I can’t believe these things actually sell.
Good for you for standing your ground on the rude ones. I’d love to hear what they were! Now, that’s no different than slowing at an accident either. Sad.
Nice post!
10 beverly lambiase // Sep 9, 2008 at 11:38 pm
Dear Telling It Like It Is -
How about growing up. Are you aware that we still have a war going on, and young men are getting killed everyday. Are you aware that it’s a presidential election year? So with that being said,what you feel is important to “tell it like it is” to talk about Gangsta Babies by Mezco. Well I think they are both unique and adorable! The person who dreamed them up was very clever and I wonder if he reliazed he was creating dolls that show the times we live in. Much the way Barbie did when she first came out. As I recall there was a lot of uprest over Barbie and yet she remains one of the most popular dolls. I think we will see that with Gangsta babies as well. I know I plan on buying Pookie with his pimped out pacifier necklace. My children all used pacifiers when they were babies but none had Pookies Bling! These Gangsta Babies are dolls, enjoy them and stop trying to stir up trouble.
11 Dr.VonDarke // Sep 10, 2008 at 5:35 am
I’m rather unclear what the issue is here. Clearly these are collectibles for adults. Are they being sold at Toys R Us? No.
They are at adult specialty stores, at a price that makes it clear, as does the box, that they are for adults.
I find them a clever and pointed commentary on our culture. I see children like this going to school every day on my way to the office.
I will be buying a set of Gangsta Babies for display in my office.
12 Joe Rasputin // Sep 10, 2008 at 7:39 am
We’ll see… this comment won’t use bad language or vicious attacks.
I’ll just simply say that you have no sense of humor. From the description alone you can tell these are completely meant to be tongue-in-cheek. Also, i doubt you’ll find these at ToyRUs next to the baby doll section.
These are clearly meant as novelty items for adults. If you’re scared that adults can’t handle something like this, then i’d hate to find out what you think of things like R-rated comedy movies. Oh, the carnage…
And if you’re going to try and say that these will find their way to kids, well then these kids just have bad parents, making these dolls the least of their problems.
You should try and find a hobby that doesn’t involve sitting around all day desperately searching for something to complain about…
13 Justin Wright (1 comments.) // Sep 10, 2008 at 3:37 pm
@Beverly
“Are you aware that we still have a war going on, and young men are getting killed everyday. Are you aware that it’s a presidential election year?”
That is one pessimistic point of view. Isn’t it enough that every news channel constantly yaps about this stuff? Why blame someone for trying to look at other things in life. People need to lighten up and laugh once in awhile.
14 Valerie (4 comments.) // Sep 10, 2008 at 6:05 pm
Barbie and GI Joe did not cost over $100, I know because I had a Barbie when she first came out (she cost 50 cent). Even though Barbie was clearly out of proportion with unattainable measurements, she portrayed something positive.
Having grown up in the “hood” I know that, unfortunately, many of the people who buy these dolls will be people who really can’t afford them.
I agree that these dolls are probably just a fad, but they speak for a segment of our society that glorifies living a dangerous lifestyle (guns and sex) that glorifies the wrong priorities (focus on bling) that most can’t afford.
Kudos to you Lin, I found your blog via Remarkablogger.
15 Valerie (4 comments.) // Sep 10, 2008 at 6:23 pm
Lin, I don’t know what happened to my previous comment but if this is a repeat please delete it.
When Barbie first came out I had one. She cost 50 cent. She was remarkably out of proportion with measurements that were clearly unattainable. But she did not cost over $100 and could be considered a positive image.
Having taken a look at the Gangsta Babies on the Mezco Toys website, it is clear to me that they are being marketed to people who want to model that lifestyle. Also, having grown up in the “hood,” I realize that many of the people who will buy these dolls will be people who really can’t afford them. People who want to model the gangsta lifestyle and all the bling.
Misplaced as these priorities might be, they are just like the $100 sneakers - they are a symbol of achievement.
I’m sure that people who actually can afford to spend $100 on a doll will also buy them, but I don’t believe that is not the market that Mezco is after.
16 Lin (1019 comments.) // Sep 10, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Hi Valerie, it took me a little time to approve all the various comments on different posts, but both of yours came through alright.
17 sheila // Oct 14, 2008 at 9:41 am
These dolls are absolutely UGLY! Not only in looks but what they stand for. I’m glad they are only sold in filth stores, that is where they need to stay and I hope no parent is going to buys these for their children. And there is something wrong with promoting these dolls just like all these violent games that are coming out- and people wonder why there is so much violence that goes on in our youth and young adults. Hello- look at their exposure 24-7. They love games and 3 out of 5 games for their age group are violent, then you have “Johnny’s mom, bought it” attitude the kids give to the parents and then the sucker parent instead of saying NO, goes and gets it because they don’t want their child to be the only one without it! What is our culture coming to? Times like these make me wish I lived in a different era, where things were simpler and more focused on good moral values!
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